Welcome to page 2, these are the continuing updates of my Ford Bronco. It always seems like there is something to be worked on when you own a Bronco, apparently mine is no different than the rest in that aspect....there is always something to fix!
Page 1..."Money Pit" Russ's 1993 Bronco
Page 2...Bronco Update Page
Page 3...Awards
Page 4...2008 Shows
Page 5...Russ Gets His Mobil-On
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Recent Updates Are Listed From Top To Bottom On This Page
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10/3/09 UPDATE
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The last show of the season went well for the Bronco, it won 1st in the modified truck class and it won the family project award at the "Kingdom Car Show" in Sheboygan, WI. The judges were very impressed with it, and it made me feel great to have the Bronco fussed over! We had a great time at the show, I can't wait till the shows start up again in April 2010!
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9/15/09 UPDATE
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It's been a pretty good summer, the Bronco's restoration has held up well. Other than putting the fibreglass top on and off this summer, and some routine maintenance (tire rotations and retorque of suspension components) it has been a trouble free ride for quite some time.....hard to believe for a Bronco...LOL
I picked up a 1993 Jeep Cherokee cheap to save me from boredom and to keep the wrenches turning in the garage over the summer. The tie rod ends/ball joints and brakes were shot.....but the engine and tranny are strong. Well worth what I paid for it......Rob and I have it fixed up and driving great for the cost of parts. This Jeep will allow me to keep The Bronco out of the salty winters for once! I would like to keep the Bronco looking good for a long time, it was alot of hard work to restore it and it sure is nice winning awards with it at shows!
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7/22/09 UPDATE
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This has really been the most recent project, Spencer's stock car. Helping out my son in law with it this year has been a treat, we are both 1st year rookies but I think the car will be competitive. His 1st race is coming up soon!
Spencer bought this car on ebay a few years ago, and we finally got it ready to race. We will be racing it in Columbus, WI at the 151 Speedway on friday nights, it is a slightly banked 1/4 mile asphalt track.
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7/20/09 UPDATE
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Wow, it's really been a long time since I have updated! I really don't have a lot of new pics this year, I will have to get some better shots posted.
The new paint really turned out sweet, nice and straight too!
These are a couple of awards the Bronco has recieved so far in 2009, check out page 3 to see all the rest!
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5/18/09 UPDATE
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Here is a pic when I picked up the Bronco from the paint shop, they did an awesome job on it! There are some areas that will need some work yet (more wet sanding and a few touch-ups) but definately a major improvement over the last paint. I will be busting my ass getting it all put back together, and the soft top I have will need a little work......but man oh man.....the Bronco is looking sweet!
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5/7/09 UPDATE
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The Bronco has been painted for over a week, now it's time to wet sand and buff. It's going good and everything looks great!
The color I went with is Jaguar Racing Green with a little pearl added, I like how it looks in different shades of light. Note the differance in appearance the tailgate gives with changing shades of light.
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4/27/09 UPDATE
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Here are some pics fresh out of the spray booth, the bottom side of the hood was sprayed the day before and is the finish color.
It took alot of tape and paper to cover the engine and interior.
Sealer on first, it sure took alot of hard work to get this far!
After the sealer set for a couple of hours, it was time for the first color coat. We are getting close now.
The Bronco is starting to look good again!
Now Jeff is putting on the clear coats, it is really looking good.
It's gonna look awesome after wet sanding and buffing!
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4/24/09 UPDATE
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The Bronco is just about ready for the spray booth, and I'm really impressed with the way things are going so far. Jeff at GPG Restorations is doing a fantastic job sniffing out the rust spots that my son Rob and I missed or didn't repair correctly 2 years ago.
There sure were quite a few waves and low spots to blend out, Ford didn't pay too much attention to smooth body lines on the Bronco's!
The lip that hooks the door seal had deteriorated badly, it now has new metal. The door jams were also rust repeaters, all that is now repaired correctly. Another few days and it will be completely prepped for paint, I can't wait to see how it turns out!
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4/16/09 UPDATE
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More pics from the paint shop, they are really going after all the low spots and imperfections! The Bronco is really coming along!
The top of the cab required more fab and welding, a typical weak point on these Bronco's. The rear is looking good too, another rust collecting area of Bronco's.
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4/7/09 UPDATE
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Some pics of the Bronco, Jeff at GPG Restorations is doing a great job getting the small dings and waves out of the body panels. That is something I wish I was good at.....it's best that a pro does this instead of myself....this is easy for them!
These corners by the tailgate area were in need of new sheet metal, they did an awesome fab job on that corner!
I'm thinking about having some flames ghosted into the paint, I think flames would look pretty cool but don't want it overdone. We might have to change the shade of green to highlight the appearance, no problem here.....I like shiney stuff....just not outlandish!
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4/1/09 UPDATE
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Finally got the Bronco apart and ready to go in for it's new paint, I think the Bronco looks pretty badass with the fiberglass top off. Rob took it out for a spin around the block before I took it down to GPG Restorations in South Milwaukee.
I'll post more pics as Jeff from GPG Restorations puts his 30 plus years of experience in auto restorations to the test, I love the Bug awning over the front entrance to the shop!
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3/16/09 UPDATE
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It's been awhile since my last update, Rob and I have been busy on the Bronco though. We soon realized we were in over our heads as far as trying to fix the paint and I went in search of some professional help, we found it at a local shop in South Milwaukee. Jeff at GPC Restorations is good enough to lend us his expertise and the Bronco will be in his caring hands in the next week or so.
I was completely impressed with some of the projects Jeff had going on in his very large shop and can't wait to post some pics of them as well as pics of my Bronco finally getting a decent paint job! There definately will be more to come!
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2/18/09 UPDATE
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We survived the trip to the Daytona 500, it was an awesome experience to say the least. Bud's OrangeKrate was all I expected it would be and alot more! The Race was awesome and though it was shortened by rain, it was a good time and my favorite Driver won it! Congrat's to Matt Kensith!
Not only did we go to the races and check out the Krate, Rob and I got a little bit of Beach time too! The Beach was as beautifull as I remembered from my last visit there back in 1976. Rob took this cool sunset pic on the jet as we sadly headed back to Milwaukee. We had a great time in Daytona!
There are too many pics that Rob and I took to post here so I added a page for all the Daytona 500 pics and Videos, check it all out on page 6.
Check out all the details on page 6
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2/5/09 UPDATE
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We had a great weekend with the temps hitting the mid 50's, it's been awhile since it's been that warm around here.....it's been in the 20's or colder for a couple of months and has been turning out to be quite a long winter! As you can see from the pic, Rob and I took advantage of the warm weather and have been getting the Bronco ready to wet sand and buff. I have not been happy with the paint we did and am hoping to fix a few problem areas, we also have the new tailgate to paint and install.
The nerf bars and wheel flares came off and the front bumper and grill had to come off as well. No sense trying to work around that stuff with sandpaper and a buffing wheel. The Bronco is starting to look like it did 2 years ago after we first painted it! The Bronco has alot of miles on it since I had it apart last and I am impressed on how well the restoration is holding up!
Rob and Shaun are always around to help when I need them, I never would have gotten this project as far as it has gone without them! Shaun is pretty handy to have around, he's almost a foot taller than me and Rob and he can reach anything and dosen't need a ladder!
Rob is removing the tailgate glass and other components that we will be reusing in the new tailgate, I will try and save whatever I can as the parts are very costly. I think I will put in a new motor for the rear window because the original is pretty slow and weak but the rest of the components look salvageable.
I will post pics of my progress as I go and can't wait for some warmer weather so we can get the painting done. The Daytona 500 is just around the corner and Rob and I are pretty pumped up for it! I can't wait to take a ride in Bud's Krate either, Rob and I are hoping for fair weather and no rain so we can get a good look of OrangeKrate in action!
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1/20/09 UPDATE
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A little update on the upcoming trip to Daytona, Rob and I will be put up at the Hilton Orlando Altamonte Springs Hotel . It looks like a big convention center, but thats ok with us. We can hardly wait to get there, we will see the Daytona 500 on sunday and the Nationwide Series "Dash For Cash" on saturday......Awesome!
Here is a pic of the hotel CarDomain is putting us up in, Rob and I won't be spending too much time there though. We are gonna check out the beach in Daytona and hook up with my freind Bud...aka "OrangKrate' and then there are 2 days of races, and who the heck knows what else we will do?? I can tell you this....we are going to have a blast!....Ohhh Yeaaaaa!
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1/11/09 UPDATE
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I didn't waste any time getting started on that list, well ok....Rob started on that list for me! Rob got the new smog pump and a fresh serpentine belt installled, at least I did something....I painted the new pump...it's very Ford Blue!
Then Rob got the hitch and back bumper off, we will be replacing the old tailgate with a new one. Funny but I remember Bassani telling me the exhaust I bought was stainless steel, looks pretty damn rusty to me! Amazing what one week of driving in salt and snow will do! (Deer Hunting)
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1/6/09 UPDATE
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Son of a gun!....I was fortunate enough to win the Grand Prize in the Mobil 1 Contest! Rob and I are extremely excited, and that is a major understatement! Thanks to CarDomain...You guys are awesome!
The funny thing was when Weston Henderson from CD called me to let me know I had won, he said at first that my account was terminated and they were kicking me off of CarDomain! Being of slow brain as usual....I thought he was serious for a second and almost dropped dead!
That was pretty damn funny Weston, I'm just wondering how many were listening in on that? You guys must have been laughing your asses off! I would have...and I did!
So it's off to Daytona for Rob and me, I plan on having a great time and will bring lots of bail money!...lol....Just kidding Sheri.
While Rob and I are down there, we are going to hook up with my CarDomain friend "Bud"...AKA "OrangKrate" We have become good freinds on CD and I wouldn't miss the chance to see his awesome ride in the flesh! Bud just was awarded "Showoff Of The Year" for 2008
Click Here To Check Out Buds OrangeKrate 2008 Showoff Of The Year
I can hardly wait, a NASCAR race I have always wanted to go to....and seeing the coolest freaking Mustang on CarDomain! I want to see and do it all at the 500, who knows if I'll ever have the opportunity to go again.
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1/1/09 UPDATE
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I have made a New Years resolution to finish all the little things as well as some big things in the Bronco this year, it's a long list that has been growing. Major repairs include finishing off the body work once and for all, The tailgate needs to be replaced for one.
I also am going to replace the tailgate sill, the majority of the sill is solid but the ends are crap. Even though I had removed most of the rust, I really did not have enough left on each end to weld/epoxy to the rear quarters when I replaced them. You really can't tell it needs replacing, it's a hard job but I know about it and it needs to be addressed!
Next on the body work hit list is the rear of the sills above the front side windows, this is a very common stress point in this body style of Bronco. I actually tried to use an epoxy on these areas a few years back, but what it really needs is to be welded. The previous repair held up for a couple years, but I'm just going to fix it right and be done with it. I will be getting to these repairs very soon so when it warms up a bit I'll be able to touch up the paint.
I may replace the tire carrier, the original will not hold the larger spare I need now. Even if I can modify it to hold the larger wheel, I think there will be too much stress on the rear quarter panel.....what a poor design! I think I will go with an BroncoAir Extreme Duty Rear Bumper with their swingout tire carrier, that means I will have to cover up the openings through the rear quarter that the old carrier bolted up with. I will also have to get another wheel and tire that match for a correct sized spare.
Next will be the interior, the seats will be reupholstered before spring. My buddys at Edlos Interiors in Butler, Wi are gonna hook me up right, the seats and door panels as well as the headliner are getting a new look! The seats will be heated, a luxury I have wanted for a long time!
That's a fair amount of work to get done before spring, but there is more on my list! I am thinking about a couple of sunvisor monitors....I think they are pretty cool, and it will help the rather boring interior at shows! I will be doing some work under the hood too, The shorter belt we used to bypass the air pump keeps coming off. I will have to figure out how to keep it on, or just replace the air pump.
There are a few other things too, the fiberglass top will be coming off and the soft top will have to be installed. Yep....always something to fix on a Bronco, I'm in heaven!
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12/25/08 UPDATE
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Here is a pic of the tree in our front room, Sheri does a wonderfull job decorating it.....and I decorated underneath it for the Mobil contest! We are very thankfull to CarDomain and Mobil 1 for making this an extra special Holiday for us, the $1000 I won in the "Mobilize Your Ride" Contest helped to pay some bills and Rob and I are stoked about the trip to Daytona!
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12/19/08 UPDATE
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I picked up a Skyler Soft Top for the Bronco on Ebay, that is a mod that I have wanted for a long time. I can't wait till spring comes...I think the Bronco will look pretty cool with the fiberglass top off!
This is a pic I stole from the Skyler website of a Bronco with their soft top on, I think it looks pretty cool! I can't wait to get the top on my Bronco, I have never seen one on a Bronco before except in pictures. This will be just like having a pickup truck too!
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12/05/08 UPDATE
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This is what I came up with for the Mobil 1 contest during the Christmas months, I won the grand prize trip to the Daytona 500!
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11/18/08 UPDATE
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What other kind of birthday cake could a guy want cept for a race car cake, and if you're from Wisconsin you're going to want Matt Kensith's good ole number 17...Yee haaaaa....GO MATT!
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11/16/08 UPDATE
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I noticed a vibration on our road trip the other weekend that seemed to be coming off the front of the engine and was concerned that the waterpump bearing was on it's way out, further inspection of it showed a small amount of play and that was all it took to convince me to change it out.
I had a high performance Flow Kooler waterpump, but this time I went with a Weiand waterpump.....this one should take revs over 6000 rpm easily. I may have damaged the Flow Kooler during a muffler rapping contest I was in....I won, but won't get involved with that type of competition again....dumb!
The Bronco also was not shifting into 4wd when I needed it to either, the culprit was the electronic transfer case motor. Like I said....if you own a Bronco, there is always something you can fix on it! This is the original motor, just look at all the rust on it! The whole Bronco's underbody looked like that once.
It took me all of 15 minutes to get the new transfer case motor installed, not bad at all! It's all set for next weeks hunting trip. While Rob finished up with the waterpump, I took the chance to do an oil change on the Volvo.
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11/9/08 UPDATE
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Time for another road trip, Rob and I took a trip to the northern woods of Wisconsin to do a little scouting for the upcoming deer hunt. Of course we got ourselves a little target practice in, but best of all....we got the Bronco good and dirty! It was nice to get the old Bronco off of the asphalt and into a little mud and dirt!
It's a good feeling being up here in the woods, the fresh air...the pine and gunpowder scent in the air....LOL...The freedom of the woods I guess you could say, is the best part of being up here! Rob loves it up here too, his favorite things are up here. Hunting and trails to take the Bronco on!
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9/28/08 UPDATE
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I have been having a little fuel pump problems. Just the past couple of weeks every now and then the fuel pump would not kick in on start up, a little rap on the tank and it would kick in....no prob right? Well...it decided to stop while I was on the freeway the other day and wouldn't come back to life for over an hour. The fuel pump only has about 7,000 miles on it as it was replaced when we rebuilt "Money Pit" a year ago. As I recall I paid a little more and got a nice Carter pump. I suspect the 408's increased thirst for fuel might be working the fuel pump a bit harder than it was designed for.
Whatever the case, the fuel pump needed replacing so Rob and Shaun got to it. After siphoning out most of the gas (just filled 30+ gallons aghhh!) they removed the skid plate and dropped the tank. A fairly clean job because the Bronco was still very clean from the recent shows.
Rob had the new pump on in no time, this time we went with a heavy duty AirTex in tank fuel pump. Hopefully that one will last much longer than the more exspensive Carter pump did!
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9/8/08 UPDATE
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I had been out of town for well over a week, Sheri and I did some travelling out west and the Bronco was left in Rob's good hands. He had a really big car show to take "Money Pit" to on August 31st put on by the Street Scene Car Club of Manitowoc Wisconsin, so what was the first logical step to ready the Bronco for the show?? Wash it of course, and that's just what he did! I have to admit that the rags he uses are a step up from the old washing mitt I had been using! You gotta love his style!, to see how he did at the show check out the "Awards Page" on page 3.
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8/9/08 UPDATE
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Shows and races, all in one weekend....who could ask for more! Rob scored awesome VIP passes to the Generac 500 at Road America in Elkhardt Lake Wisconsin. There was also a real nice show a few miles away, Rob got a great vid from the race.....the Bronco got 1st place in the 4x4 class at the Lakeshore Knights 18th Annual Car Show! It was a great weekend and everybody had a great time.
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8/5/08 UPDATE
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My tailgate glass has been running on borrowed time for a long time and the runner finally gave way the other day. I had hit it with POR-15 a year or so ago but knew that it was so far gone it was only a matter of time!
It's amazing it's made it this far judging from the looks of the runner bracket now, We had thought it would have failed long before this but rode the parts to the bitter end.
My guess is that 2200 watts of bass rattled the crap out of what was left of the runner bracket, imagine that! I had hoped the runners would hold up till I could get around to replacing the tailgate, the original tailgate is still on there believe it or not but is in rapidly declining condition. The paint is perfect and all but it is the last body part on the list for restoration, I know what is really there and I will not be satisfied with the resto until I know all the rusted parts have been replaced completely!
I had the glass and bracket's together in about an hour, I used stainless hex bolts and washers instead of an aluminum rivit this way when I get to replacing the entire tailgate I won't have any rivit's to drill out. It turned out nice, no more slop in the window motion! I hope the paint on the bracket's I replaced prevent rust in that area in the future.....only time will tell!
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7/22/08 UPDATE
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I have been in contact with Bronco Driver Magazine and they want to put my Bronco in their next issue! These are some of the pic's I have submitted to them for publication.....Let me know what you think of them. My oldest brother Scott took most of these for me, he is a fantastic photographer.
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7/7/08 UPDATE
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We went to the All Ford Show in Oshkosh WI at the EAA Museum on saturday, I had a pic taken by a WWII P-51 Mustang. It cost me $5 but it turned out pretty decent.
We won 1st in our class and got this awesome Bronco trophy.(Some may think it is a Mustang....well it's not! it's a Bronco!) All of "Money Pit's" Trophies and awards are listed on page 3. Please stop and take a look, we are very proud of the awards "Money Pit" has earned.
Check Out All Of Money Pit's Awards
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6/26/08 UPDATE
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Sheri loves to scrapbook, so it was no problem getting her to whip up some information cards that we can put on the Bronco when we take it to shows. I really don't expect to win anything, but it's alot of fun to see all those awesome old(and new)cars plus you get to meet alot of really interesting people!
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6/14/08 UPDATE
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Our quest for better sound meant it was time to put all that sundproofing the Bronco to good use! If 500 watts and 2 10's was good, 2200 watts and 4 12's has gotta be better.....right? Rob's freind Josh, put together an incredible Sub system that we put in the Bronco.
4 Kicker CVR12 CompVR 12" Woofers with Dual 4 Ohm Voice Coils and 2 Alpine MRD-M605 Amps put into a Custom Tuned Box. This should really sound great and I can't wait to test it out!
Each Alpine MRD-M605 Mono Amp will pump out an impressive 600watts RMS with 1100watts peak power at 2ohms. That means that the total power for the two amps will be a very respectable 1200watts RMS with a peak power of 2200watts at 2ohms! That should power those huge 12" Kicker's quite nicely!
Each 12" Kicker CVR12 CompVR speaker can handle 400watts RMS and 800watts peak power, and that adds up to 1600watts RMS with 3200watts peak power capability! All in an awesome package that can be removed quickly if the space is needed!
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5/17/08 UPDATE
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We really scrambled, but the Bronco interior is pretty much together now. Now at least we can get it to the all Ford show with an interior. Rob and Shaun took a few hours and detailed the Bronco for tomorrow's show. The Bronco has never looked better!
They put the finishing touch's in the engine compartment. The 408 is really looking sweet, great job guys!
The interior looks pretty decent, even though the seats need to be reupholsterd
I will continue to update the page as there are to be more mods in the future, this is the Bronco I set out to build, it pretty much turned out the way I wanted it to! The Bronco is 100% rebuilt from the ground up and from the inside out, all high quality performance parts and no rust! The engine, Tranny and Suspension are markedly better than original, plus we had a blast doing it...who could ask for more? Rob and I will have many more years of memory's in store for us in the Bronco, Let The Good Times Roll!!
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5/15/08 UPDATE
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Neither of us have ever installed a car carpet before, let alone a big truck carpet like the Bronco's. At first it was pretty scary, we didn't have a clue how to start!
The back was a little easier than the front and it went in quickly. Now all we had to do was to get the back panels in, I can't believe the Bronco is almost completly together again! It's been 2 years since it was completly together, and now it's almost there!
Almost all the trim is in and the carpet is finally in.I think it turned out pretty decent and I am especially happy with the color of the carpet. Some of the interior panels were pretty beat up, but they cleaned up decently.
Rob and Shaun have the amp and subs ready to go, the neighbors are really gonna love this...LOL..
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5/13/08 UPDATE
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Finally finished with the B-QUIET! It took alot more time than I thought it would. The only thing left is a layer of padding/insulation on the floors and then the carpet can go in.
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5/9/08 UPDATE
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Got a little farther with the B-QUIET,it takes a lot of work and alot of B-QUIET. Up to this point "Money Pit" has consumed 100 sq feet. It will take another 50 sq foot roll or more to finish the job!
The carpet for the interior finally came, it looks perfect. I hope it fits as good as it looks.
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5/7/08 UPDATE
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Finally, the weather is getting better which gives us an opportunity to get going with the interior. There is an All Ford show in Cudahy, Wisconsin May,18th and we would like to take the Bronco there. The interior is still gutted, but hopefully we have all the parts. Still we will be cutting it close, there is a lot to be done yet.
As you can see, it's not just a matter of picking up a part and installing it. Every thing will be cleaned up and rust proofed if possible. These seat bases required alot of attention!
The seat bases cleaned up nicely, they recieved 3 coats of POR-15. I doubt there will be a rust problem with these anymore.
The entire interior was wired and sandblasted before receiving 4 coats of POR-15. The POR-15 will keep rust from forming and help seal up the corners and joints on the interior floor.
I have alot of confidence now on what's underneath everything, I know there isn't a big coverup underneath.
Now the entire interior has an excellent surface for soundproof installation. We will be using B-QUIET ULTIMATE first, all floor/foot areas will recieve 2 layers.
Rob started with the doors first, the inside of the door was cleaned and then lined with B-QUIET. He sealed every corner and hole except for the drain holes in the bottom. These are the original doors and they are still in perfect condition.
Then we sealed all the openings, hopefully this will not only keep the music in and the road noise out. It should really help keep the heat in and the cold out during those freezing Wisconsin winters.
The tailgate was next on the hit list for soundproofing. The inner tailgate was covered twice with B-QUIET. I cut a piece of heat insulation for the inner side of the tailgate cover to provide added soundproofing. The subs Rob intends on installing should really sound great, I can't wait till this thing is done!
This is my wife Sheri, she just couldn't resist helping out with installing the B-QUIET. She say's it's just like wrapping Christmas presents! Rob is installing the cables needed for the amps and subwoofers.
Rob and Sheri have really pitched in to help get this project completed. I am very fortunate to have them, I have not been able to do much of anything since October of 2007. I've had back problems most of my life, and just had neck surgery in November 2007 and another back surgery in March 2008. Thanks a million times over Sheri and Rob, I love you both!
Sheri really did a great job sealing up the inner fender area, now she's starting on the floor panels.
